


The Road Home

by nycz



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/F, Family Issues, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Minor Canonical Character(s), Minor Original Character(s), Werewolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-23
Updated: 2016-10-23
Packaged: 2018-08-24 02:08:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8352124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nycz/pseuds/nycz
Summary: Regina lives in a peaceful little village, having long since left her oppressive mother and the life she forced upon Regina. One day a strange wolf appears in the outskirts of the village. While the villagers wants to kill it, Regina takes it in and nurses it back to health, only to find out that it's someone she knew long ago.





	1. The wolf

**Author's Note:**

  * For [purrpickle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/purrpickle/gifts).



> Written for the prompt "trust". It took a lot of time for me to figure out what kind of fic to write, and this is a sort of unusual style for me to write in, but I hope it works anyway.

Despite growing up as a minor noble in an estate full of servants, art, and expensive food, Regina had early in life come to realize that nobility wasn't for her. Her mother had pressured her to marry for power and influence, but the older Regina became, the more she saw how little she cared for that kind of life. Her best friend had been the blacksmith's young apprentice, a girl her age with a smile that was as brilliant as it was infectious. Unsurprisingly, her mother hadn't approved, noting that a woman of Regina's stature shouldn't mix with someone as lowly as a blacksmith.

Then one day, the girl was gone. No one knew for certain what had happened, but rumors of a wolf stalking the town filled the taverns. The night before, Regina could have sworn she saw a wolf outside her window, its eyes hollow and sad yet eerily familiar, but afterwards she never knew if she had seen it or merely dreamed of it.

After that, it didn't take long before Regina couldn't stand her mother's suffocating influence any longer. She left early one night, riding until both she and her horse were close to collapsing. She made it out of the kingdom and into the next, finally stopping in a isolated village, far away from castles and nobility. An abandoned cottage in the outskirts of town, previously inhabited by the village's midwife, proved to be just what Regina needed. While she certainly wasn't a midwife, her mother had taught her potioncraft ever since Regina was young and soon all manner of people throughout the village turned to Regina when they became sick or injured.

The years went quietly by in the little village until one summer day, almost a decade after she Regina had arrived, when someone suddenly jostled the mundane peace they had.

"Regina! Regina!"

A young boy – one of the farmers' sons – came running over the field when Regina was working in her garden, tending to some new plants. He was panting heavily and his voice was shrill. Whatever this was, it couldn't be good news.

"What's going on?" Regina asked, standing up and brushing some of the dirt off of her dress. "Is someone hurt?"

The boy came to a halt at the edge of the garden and shook his head, trying to catch his breath. "It's– it's some kind of monster."

Regina held back a smile. Although it didn't happen every day, there had been more than one occurrence of "monsters" showing up in the village and all of them had been raccoons or the occasional bear. "Where did you see this monster?"

"It's at the edge of the forest on the other side of town. Everyone's there! I only saw a little of it, but it was huge!" The boy held out his hands as far as he could. "It's even bigger than a horse!"

"I see."

The boy, catching on to Regina's skepticism, pouted. "You don't believe me, do you? I swear, it's a real monster this time. A wolf! It's even got arrows sticking out of it."

That finally caught Regina's attention. "Arrows? Did someone shoot it?"

"I don't think so. No one from the village, at least."

Regina nodded. She couldn't help but wonder how far behind whoever shot those arrows were.

"Are you coming?" the boy asked, eager to get going. "They told me to come get you. Said you would want to see it for yourself."

"Of course, let me just get some supplies first."

She hurried inside and collected whatever she thought might be useful – mostly against pain and injuries – and then left with the boy. Over the field, through the village, they finally ended up in a large clearing, far away from the closest house. It looked like most of the village was there, of all genders and ages, all equally curious and worried about the purported monster.

"Apothecary! I'm glad you're here," Lillian, the village elder, greeted her when she saw Regina arrive.

"Of course, I came as soon as I heard. Is it true? There's some kind of... beast?" She loathed to use the word "monster". Everything was a monster to people who didn't want to learn more about it.

"A wolf, larger than any wolf I've ever seen," Bertrand, one of the village's hunters, explained. "It's alive, but I'm not sure for how long. It hasn't even moved since we found it." He pointed behind him, farther into the clearing.

"Take me to it."

As soon as Regina saw it, she knew this wolf wasn't an ordinary animal. For starters, it was nearly twice as big, if not more. Arrows were sticking out of the side of it, enough to kill any regular creature. Its jaw was gaping slightly, revealing teeth that looked large enough to rip through armor. Yet despite all its fearsome qualities, it made no moves to attack or flee, even when Bertrand and Regina approached it.

"So, what do you think?" Bertrand asked, his voice hushed and his free hand resting on his belt, close to his knife. "Should we kill it or wait for it to die on its own?"

Regina frowned. While she understood Bertrand's worry, she loathed death, especially when she could prevent it. Additionally, if the wolf had taken half a dozen arrows and still been able to continue, there was no saying how much it would take – and how dangerous it would be – to try to put it down. She crouched nearby it, inspecting the arrow wounds. They looked strangely old, maybe several days or more. The fur around them was covered in dried, cracked blood, and most of the arrows had been broken off at various lengths. How this creature had been able to survive this far was a miracle in and of itself. 

When she leaned closer, wanting to get a better look, the beast finally reacted. Although it didn't lunge at her, merely growled and snapped its jaws towards her, it was enough for Regina to stumble back and Bertrand to nock an arrow, ready to loosen it into the creature's neck.

"It's alright," Regina said, both to herself, Bertrand, and the wolf. "It didn't attack me."

The wolf, now somewhat lucid, tilted its head, meeting Regina's eyes. They were a wild yellow, but something in them was familiar to Regina. She wasn't sure what it was and she wasn't sure how she knew it, but she knew she couldn't let the wolf die. Already forming a plan in her mind, she rummaged through her bag for a certain bottle. It was a potent sleeping potion, something only used for the most grievous injuries when the patient needed to stay still and calm. She took out the cork and held it out in front of the wolf's muzzle. The wolf sniffed, then snorted and tried to pull away, but the potion had already taken effect and soon the wolf collapsed onto the ground.

"What did you do?" Bertrand asked, still gripping his bow tightly.

"I put it to sleep."

"Good. I'll finish it off. You might not want–"

"No," Regina cut him off as she got to her feet. "We are not killing it."

"But–"

"It will be out for quite some time, so it won't be dangerous to move it. I'd appreciate some help in getting it to my cottage."

Bertrand stared at her in utter disbelief. "You want to, what, study it? Look at it, it's as big as a horse! It could rip you in two!"

"I'm well aware of that."

By now, Lillian had joined them. "It's a danger to the village, Regina," she said, giving the wolf a wary look. "And an even greater danger to you."

Regina crossed her arms, determined to get her way. "I wouldn't be doing this if I thought the wolf was posing a risk." She gestured towards the villagers, watching the spectacle from a safe distance. "Has it hurt anyone? Has it even threatened anyone? I know it looks imposing, but that is no reason for needless violence." Stepping closer to Lillian, she continued in a lower voice, "When I came here, a lot of people thought I was some kind of dangerous witch, but you gave me a chance and look at where we are now."

"This isn't a witch," Bertrand argued, "and it isn't looking for a house and some work."

"We don't know what it's looking for!" Regina snapped. "But right now, it hasn't hurt anyone."

Lillian stayed quiet for a while, looking from Regina to the wolf and then back again. Then slowly, she nodded. "Alright. We'll get the wolf to your cottage and you'll be responsible for it." She touched Regina's arm, her expression growing worried. "Just stay safe."

Despite plenty of objections, the villagers eventually agreed, dragging the wolf on a makeshift stretcher all the way to Regina's house and inside, to one of the spare rooms Regina didn't use. Some argued that they should at least chain it to the walls or the floor, but Regina was adamant that they shouldn't treat it like a prisoner.

While the wolf was still under the influence of the sleeping potion, Regina set to work to do what she could about the arrow wounds. Most of them were shallow, making the arrows relatively easy to remove, but some were nearly impossible to pull out. When she was done, her heart was pounding, her hands were shaking, and the floor was stained with blood, but at least the wolf would have a chance. She cleaned and patched the wounds up as best she could, thankful that the bleeding wasn't worse.

It had gotten late in the evening, but Regina stayed at the wolf's side, only leaving to get dinner and to move a chair into the room. She wasn't sure if it was worry for herself of the wolf, but she didn't want to let it out of her sight more than absolutely necessary.

When the wolf finally woke up, it was well after midnight. It stirred, then growled and tried to scramble to its feet when it realized it wasn't in the forest anymore. Noticing Regina, it hesitated, apparently not sure what to do with her.

"Calm down," Regina tried to soothe it. She wasn't sure if the creature could understand her, but continued nonetheless, "You need to rest. I've patched up your wounds but you're still in terrible shape."

The wolf shook its head and then began pacing back and forth, growling at nothing in particular. It didn't take long before it had worn itself out, though, the wounds making themselves painfully known. In the end, it lay down on the floor again with a broken whine, curling up in the corner. When the wolf was fast asleep, Regina got out of her chair and crouched down next to the wolf. The wounds were already looking better, even the deepest ones. She ran her fingers over the fur, wondering what – or who – this wolf really was.


	2. The woman

It only took a few days for the wolf's wounds to close up fully. The wolf itself got calmer as the days passed, no longer flinching or growling when Regina came too close to it. It seemed perfectly comfortable staying in the small cottage, even when Regina began having visitors over again. The villagers had, with good reason, been wary of the beast living with Regina, going so far as looking genuinely surprised each time Regina showed up in the village, unharmed and in good spirits.

After a week of rumors and worry, Lillian apparently decided it was time to put gossiping to rest and visited Regina using some vague ailment as an obviously flimsy excuse. Lillian stiffened at the sight of the hulking wolf, sprawled out in front of the fireplace, but continued on passed it without a comment. She never mentioned the wolf apart from some shallow platitudes, but Regina could easily read between the lines. With Lillian's blessing, the rest of the village slowly accepted the enormous wolf as yet another odd but in the end acceptable quirk of the village apothecary and life went back to normal.

For Regina, suddenly living with something between a pet and a uncommunicative roommate was an odd but not unwelcome change. It was surprisingly comforting having someone in her house with her, even a wolf. Of course, she still wasn't convinced it was merely a wolf – she thought she saw glimpses of something else from time to time, a gesture that looked out of place or a noise that sounded eerily human – but she didn't force the issue and simply let the wolf do what it wished. In the meantime, Regina read whatever she could find about strange beasts and shapeshifters.

Nearly a month and a half had passed when Regina noticed a growing restlessness in the wolf. It was pacing more, never seemed to feel comfortable in one place more than a little while, but when Regina suggested a run in the forest it merely scoffed and stalked over to the spare room it had slept in the first night.

Regina sighed, frustrated that she couldn't do more for the wolf or even understand what it wanted. She followed it, only to find it standing in the middle of the room, panting and whining and growling as if in agonizing pain.

"Are you alright?" Regina asked. She didn't expect a response, of course, but she didn't know what else to do.

Suddenly, the wolf's growl grew in strength as it curled its back, almost like a cat, shuddering from the exertion. Its legs began to grow and shrink far more than should have been possibly. Before long, its whole body was shifting in the same way, fluctuating between the shape of a wolf and something else. Finally, the stress became to much; the wolf's legs gave out and it collapsed onto the ground in a position much like what it had been in the first night.

Regina rushed forward, relieved to see the wolf still lucid enough too meet her eyes.

"You're trying to shift, aren't you?" she asked, running her hand soothingly over the wolf's furry side. "You're a werewolf."

The wolf didn't react, but it didn't have to. All the evidence lined up too perfectly for there to be another explanation. The size, the rapid healing, and now the shifting.

"You should wait until the moon is new. It should be easier for you to shift then." When the wolf turned away, Regina added dryly, "It's only a week away."

When Regina left, the wolf was already fast asleep.

 

* * *

 

Two days later, Regina was on her way home from a house call. Her mind was still occupied with thoughts on how she could improve the potion she most often used to help with pain, so it wasn't until she was passing through the fence gate in front of her house that she heard the noises coming from inside. Growling and panting, claws scraping against the floor – it was clear that the wolf hadn't taken her advice. Cursing under her breath, Regina hurried inside, only to find it uncomfortably quiet. The noises had stopped, except the panting. It sounded different now, though: lighter and softer.

Steeling herself against whatever she might find, Regina made her way through her house towards the sounds. In the doorway to the wolf's room, she froze.

There wasn't a wolf in the room anymore, but a woman. She was dressed in tattered, bloody rags and her long, dark hair was dirty and messy, hanging limply and hiding her face. Her limbs were fluctuating, much like the wolf's had, and her breathing was fast and heavy. A few moments passed without any reaction from her, but then she snapped her head up, meeting Regina's gaze with wild, yellow eyes, feverish and bleary.

"Oh," was all Regina could say, torn between the urge to comfort the woman and knowing Regina needed to give her more than a hug. "I'll– I'm not sure if it will help, but I can make you some herbal tea. It helps calm the spirit."

The woman mutely stared back and Regina was reminded of the way the wolf had watched her the first day. A vacant, wary gaze that was more instinct than thought. The wolf might have become a woman, but she was still part wolf, and it showed.

Doing her best to quench her worries, Regina left for the kitchen and brewed the tea. The water seemed to take forever to boil and nothing was in the right place. When Regina had gotten the tea ready, it felt like the whole evening had passed, but when she returned to the wolf's room, the woman was still there, sitting on her haunches and looking only marginally better.

"Here," Regina said, holding out the cup.

The woman gave the cup a wary glance before reaching out for it, but her hand was shaking too much for her to hold it. Regina could hear the woman's breathing speed up as she looked down on her shaking hands in confusion and... fear?

"Please, just drink this," Regina urged her. She crouched in front of the woman and held out the cup, then gently guided the woman's hands to curl around it, holding it loosely.

With Regina's help, the woman managed to drink most of it. As the brew set in, the woman's eyelids began to droop.

"Wait, we need to get you to a bed." Half-asleep, the woman wasn't particularly cooperative, but somehow Regina managed to pull them both to their feet. Pulling the woman's arm over her shoulder, Regina led her into the guest bedroom and onto the bed. She was asleep as soon as she hit the mattress.

Regina watched her newfound guest for a little while, just to try to make sure she would be alright, and then made her way to her own bedroom where she fell asleep almost as quickly as her guest.

The next morning, Regina hurried to check on the woman, but her worry was entirely unneeded as the woman was still sleeping soundly, barely even having moved at all since the night before. In fact, it took until well after lunch before Regina heard any movement from the guest bedroom.

Regina couldn't help but smile when the woman padded out of the bedroom and into the study where Regina was. The woman was stiff and reserved, but her expression was calm and her eyes were lucid and entirely human.

"Hello," Regina said, pushing her work aside. "Are you feeling any better?"

For a moment, Regina wasn't sure if the woman understood her, but then she carefully nodded.

"If you're hungry, I can get you some food," Regina suggested. "I also left some clothes on a chair in the room where you slept, if you'd like to wear something less..." she gave a pointed nod to the woman's clothes, "well-used."

The woman nodded again, hesitated, then went back to the guest room, while Regina went to the kitchen to prepare an early dinner. When the woman returned, she had changed out of her rags and pulled back her hair in a simply pony tail. Dinner was quiet, as the woman spent most of it eating as if her life depended on it. Knowing what she was, perhaps it wasn't too far-fetched.

Afterwards, an awkward silence settled. The woman seemed troubled by something, her brows knitted together, but she still wouldn't speak. Regina, on the other hand, wasn't sure where to begin.

"What should I call you?" Regina asked. "You've been living here for weeks and all I've known you as is 'the wolf'."

A hint of a smile flashed across the woman's face. "Red," she finally said, her voice clear and steady.

 

* * *

 

One day went by, then another, and all Regina knew for sure about Red was still only her name. As much as she didn't want to pry, she also lived with the mysterious werewolf now and that had to count for something, didn't it? Besides, it was only pure luck that no one else in the village had yet noticed that the wolf had suddenly become a woman. and Regina didn't want to face all those questions that were sure to follow with as few answers as she had right now.

"I think we should talk," she told Red after dinner that evening. "I don't mind you living here – I enjoy the company, to be honest – but I know next to nothing about you."

Red averted her eyes, a wistful expression on her face. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright." Regina studied her for a few moments. The more time she spent around Red, the more sure she was of who she was. "Your name is Ruby Lucas, isn't it?"

Red stiffened, but slowly met Regina's eyes.

"It has been over a decade, but you don't look that different from a certain blacksmith's apprentice I knew back then. A certain girl who was awfully fond of a lovely red cloak of hers."

"I didn't know if you would remember me," Red mumbled, but she visibly relaxed. "Or if you wanted to."

Now it was Regina's turn to look surprised. "What? Why would I have wanted to forget you?" She chuckled, but it wasn't a particularly happy sound. "You were my best friend back then, Ruby."

"But," Red licked her lips, "what about the wolf... thing? Didn't Cora tell you?" When Regina's confusion only grew, Red continued, "Your mother found out about me being a... about my wolf. She said she would tell the whole town about me, so I ran." She shook her head. "Should have known it was only a ploy. She never liked me at all."

A long forgotten flame of hatred towards her mother briefly flared up inside Regina. "So it was you who I saw that night. The wolf."

"Yeah," Red said, with a self-deprecating smile. "Not sure what I was thinking there, trying to say goodbye to my friend as a horse-sized wolf."

Silence fell between them, not necessarily an awkward one but not entirely comfortable either.

"How did you find me?" Regina asked after a while.

Red scrunched her nose up in thought and scratched her head. "You know, I've been trying to figure that out myself these last few days. Everything before I turned is a blur, honestly." She took a deep breath and straightened in her chair. "Cora caught up to me one evening when I was going home from the smithy. She said she'd expose me – what I was – if I didn't leave you alone, and that the whole town would deal with me. So I left. I traveled on my own for a while, never settling in one place, until some other werewolves found me. Turned out my mother was alive this whole time, leading a wolf pack of her own."

"Your mother," Regina repeated, dumbfounded. "Did Granny know?"

"No idea," Red shrugged. "I liked it there at first, felt like I fit in. But then..." She clenched her jaw, her expression getting clouded. "They didn't really care too much about humans or really anyone outside their pack. So I left again. And then–" she let out a sardonic chuckled– "I managed to get myself a room in a tavern just as a large party of adventurers and hunters stayed there. They found out about me and I ran. Next thing I remember, I wake up in the woods with a bunch of farmers staring at me."

"That's... a lot to take in. A lot to happen to one person." Regina reached out, taking Ruby's hand in her own. "I'm glad you're alright, even if it took this long."

"Me too." Red sighed, tapping her finger against the table a couple of times. "So... speaking of farmers. What happens now?"

Letting go of Red's hand, Regina thought carefully about what to say. "You're welcome to stay here, of course, if you'd like."

"And you're just going to tell your neighbors that the wolf mysteriously vanishing and some woman showing up is completely unrelated?" Red asked with a teasing smile.

"I don't like to lie or keep things from the people here, except where I come from and now – by extension – where you come from. They've already accepted you as a wolf; I don't think it would be too difficult for them to accept a werewolf."

Red blinked, staring at Regina, before breaking out in laughter.

"I'm sorry," she said when she had gotten her breathing under control again. "It's just– this is all so weird, you know? Good weird, but still weird."

Regina huffed and crossed her arms. "I've been living with a giant wolf for a month who has spent most of the time napping in front of the fireplace. I'm more than aware of how ridiculous all this is."

"Yeah." Red grinned, that wide, carefree smile that Regina remembered so well from when they were younger. "It was really cozy, though."


	3. The village

The next day, Regina and Red went to the market together. The marketplace was packed with people from all around, coming there to trade and meet up, so no one paid much attention to some unfamiliar woman. Not only that, but any worries that Red wouldn't be able to handle being around this many people were soon quashed, as Red went from stall to stall, haggling and talking, smiling and laughing. Wanting to get ahead of any rumors that might take root, Regina left Red on her own as soon as she found Lillian in the crowd.

"Regina, it's good to see you," Lillian said when Regina approached her. "Is everything well with you?" The "and the wolf" was left unsaid.

"Yes, more than well, actually." She led them away, out of the crowd and to a little more secluded place, away from prying eyes and ears. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about."

Lillian's eyes narrowed. "That sounds a little ominous."

Deciding it was better to get it over with quickly, Regina went straight to the point. "The wolf I took care of, it is not a wolf. It is a werewolf. And she's called Red."

Lillian stayed still for a few moments, as if waiting for Regina to tell her it was a joke, but when that didn't happen she let out a soft sigh and shook her head. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. We all knew that wolf was special from the beginning. I can't guarantee how people will take the news, though. Some people are still worried about the wolf."

"They'll accept her when the meet her," Regina said with a little more conviction than she felt.

As Lillian was about to reply, Red came over to them, eyes bright and smile still firmly in place.

"Hi. I, uh, hope I'm not interrupting? I'm Red."

"Lillian."

They shook hands and Regina breathed a sigh of relief. Perhaps this would go her way after all.

"I hear you're a werewolf," Lillian noted, as casually as if she was talking about the weather.

"That's right." Red looked to Regina and then back again. "And since you're not running away screaming, I guess I won't have to pack my bags just yet."

"Indeed." Lillian chuckled. "Well, I need to run some errands. It was nice meeting you, Red. Take care, both of you."

When they were alone again, Red said, "That went well, right?"

"I'd like to think so. Like you said, she didn't run away screaming."

 

* * *

 

As Regina had expected, the rumors spread fast. Some gave Red wary looks, other ignored her completely, but no one said anything openly against her. It was far from ideal, but since Red had no intention of leaving any time soon, it was what they would have to deal with. At least Regina was use to it, as it was the reception she had met when she herself had arrived in the village.

At home, things were easier. Although they hadn't talked about it or specifically decided anything, Red came to use the guest room as her own. She helped out where she could, cooking and cleaning, picking herbs and plants when Regina needed it. In the evenings, they often stayed up late, discussing village gossip or sharing some amusing stories from their years apart. It was comfortable and simple, and Regina found herself smiling much more than she had before Red had come to live with her.

Then one morning, something was off; Regina noticed it as soon as Red joined her at the breakfast table. She was preoccupied and stiff, but when Regina asked about it she deflected, insisting she was fine.

When Red began to pace after breakfast, however, Regina had had enough.

"Something is bothering you, Red."

Red stopped and looked ready to say something, but hesitated.

Regina let out a frustrated sigh. "Whatever it is, not talking about it clearly isn't helping."

"I know," Red muttered, sitting down heavily on a chair. "It's just... It's not easy for me to talk about."

"It's about the wolf, isn't it?"

Red groaned. "It's a full moon tonight. I've been holding her back, but..." She let the words trail off.

"Oh."

"Yeah. When I was in my wolf form the last time I lost myself in it. You saw how hard it was to shift back." 

Regina leaned forward a little and reached out to cover Red's hand with hers, giving Red a reassuring smile. "You'll do fine."

"And what if I don't?" Red shot back. "What if I hurt–"

"No one is getting hurt," Regina said, cutting Red off before she could lose herself in her worries. "You didn't hurt anyone when you got here first and you won't hurt anyone now. Besides, I'll be here, watching over you the whole time."

Red began to protest, but Regina held up her hand to quiet her.

"There is no way I'm letting you go through this alone, Red." Her voice left no room for arguments.

"Fine," Red muttered. "Let's get this over with, then." She rose to her feet and looked around to make sure she had enough space.

Regina watched in silence as Red's eyes turned yellow and her body began to change. This time, it didn't look nearly as painful or difficult as when she had tried to turn into her human form. Instead, it looked easy and natural, even graceful. Soon enough, the wolf was standing in Red's place. It didn't move or act at all, merely staring up at Regina, unblinking.

"Are you... still in there?" Regina held out her hand to see if the wolf would react. "I'd like to know if I have to spend another two months and some tea to get you back again."

The wolf padded over to her and promptly gave Regina's hand a long, wet lick.

"Lovely. I'll take that as a yes," Regina muttered, lips turned down in displeasure.

Red's responding panting sounded suspiciously like laughter.

With Red in her wolf shape again, it almost felt like the past two weeks had never happened. As much as she liked the wolf, Regina had to admit that she missed the human Red, even after one evening. Wanting the night to come to an end so she could get Red back in her talkative form, Regina went to bed early that night.

She was half asleep, already in bed, when a noise at the door pulled her back into consciousness. Grumbling, she left her bed and padded over to the door, finding Red standing outside, still in her wolf form.

"Is everything alright?"

Red sniffed and made her way past Regina, lying down next to her bed.

"You don't want to sleep alone." Regina yawned, too tired to care. "Fine. As long as you don't snore."

Red scoffed and Regina crawled back into bed, falling asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

When Regina woke up, the sun was only starting to rise. Regina scowled at the window, wondering what had disrupted her sleep. An odd, soft noise caught her attention. She leaned over the edge of the bed and found Red there, still sleeping on the floor but now in her human form. Knowing how stiff Red would be when she woke up, she reached down and jostled her until Red pried her eyes open, blinking in confusion up at Regina.

"Don't sleep on the floor," Regina mumbled, her voice gravely from sleep. "There's plenty of space up here."

Red blinked a few more times, then muttered something inaudible and made her way around the bed, lying down next to Regina.

"Thanks," she mumbled, and then they were both were asleep once more.

The next time Regina woke up, she was feeling thoroughly rested. She stretched a little, opened her eyes and then frowned. Red was lying in front of her, their faces less than a foot apart. Vaguely, Regina remembered telling Red to stop sleeping on the floor, but the memories were all jumbled from sleep.

Regardless of how it came to be, Regina was now sharing a bed with Red and being this close to her was bringing back a lot of feelings and thoughts she thought she had left behind when she had fled her mother's home. She swallowed hard, trying to ignore how hard her heart was pounding in her chest. Up until the day Red had come back into her life, Regina hadn't bothered much with relationships, even friends. Sure, she had gotten a few friends and acquaintances during the years, but she had mostly focused on her work and it had been more than enough. Living with Red, however, had left her wanting more, and not in some vague, general sense.

Regina closed her eyes and took a slow, deep breath. She was well aware of how old many of these feelings were – how they weren't necessarily a reflection of what she wanted now, but instead what she had wanted when she was younger – but through it all she knew it wasn't just nostalgia that made her smile a little extra at the thought of coming home to dinner with Red. It was still too new and confusing for her to fully grasp it, but the feelings were there and she couldn't ignore them anymore.

 

* * *

 

The days flew by as summer began to give way to autumn. While the weather grew colder, the village slowly but surely warmed up to Red, one person at a time. As frightening as werewolves were, few people left an interaction with Red without at least a begrudging smile.

"I've been talking to the blacksmith," Red said.

She and Regina were in the garden, clearing up an overgrown, unused part of it to make room for more herbs and plants Regina wanted to grow.

"Oh?"

"He didn't promise anything, but he said he'd let me show what I know," she said, face split in a wide grin.

Regina broke out in a matching grin. "That's wonderful, Red."

"As long as I just don't break the tools," Red quipped. "You wouldn't believe how many times that happened when I was working in the smithy back when we were young."

It took a few embarrassing moments before Regina realized what Red was talking about. She had read about werewolves and their superior strength, but hadn't thought about it specifically when it came to Red. "Just how strong are you?"

Red scanned the ground they were covering until she found a large rock near the edge of the garden, nearly three feet across and partially buried in the dirt. She walked up to the rock, studied it for a moment then bent down and picked it up as if it weighed next to nothing. She carried it out of the garden and then threw it a few dozen feet into the woods nearby.

"Like I said, I managed to break a lot of tools," Red said when she returned. "What I'd like to know is why you don't use magic to clear all this up." She gestured at the garden. "Didn't Cora teach you that too?"

Shaking herself out of her reverie, Regina cleared her throat and tried to ignore the myriad of inappropriate thoughts that Red inadvertently had brought to life with her show of strength. "I don't use magic anymore, not since I left. Magic is much too easy to abuse – as my mother did – and people fear it far more than potions." Then she realized something. "How did you know of my magic?"

Red shrugged. "I could smell it on you some days back then." She winked. "Werewolf senses, you know."


	4. The past

A month later, Red was spending most days in the smithy. She was still getting the occasional odd glance and stiff reply, but most people had gotten bored with the rumors about her and had moved on to juicer things. In their home, Regina and Red had adapted smoothly to Red's work schedule, spending most evenings together to make up for the workdays apart. There was a certain tension in the air between them – not necessarily a bad one – but neither of them brought it up.

Regina had just finished a quick lunch one day when she heard the door to the cottage open. She frowned in confusion; Red shouldn't be home for quite some time.

"Regina, are you home?" A moment later, Red popped into view, slightly short of breath but looking practically radiant. Most obviously, though, her long hair was gone, cut down to a few inches. She licked her lips, shifting nervously from leg to leg. "So... I cut my hair." She drew her fingers through her hair. "This is so much easier to deal with. I hope, ah, you don't mind–"

"It's beautiful," Regina said before she could really think about it. "I mean, it looks good on you."

"Thanks." Red relaxed, giving her a relieved smile. She and Regina stood quietly for a moment or two, the tension thick in the air, until Red averted her eyes and said, "I also... sent a letter. To Granny. I never told her why I left, you know?" She cleared her throat, wiping away a hint of a tear. "And I figured, while I'm at it, I should thank you, for taking care of me and a letting me live here. I don't think I ever did that, not properly."

Without a word, Regina closed the distance between them and pulled Red into a tight embrace. When she reluctantly let go, she studied Red cautiously. "You're not about to leave or anything, are you?"

"What? Oh! Oh, no no," Red assured her, chuckling and shaking her head. "I just got one of those sudden spurts of courage or something, I guess. I've wanted to do all these things for a while now, but I haven't really been able to bring myself to do it."

Regina met her eyes steadily, wondering if Red was talking about more than just those three things. "I'm glad you did," she said at last, pulling in Red for another embrace.

If the tension between them had been high before, the following weeks it was rapidly reaching the breaking point. Every glance shared with Red told Regina that they both knew there was something between them, but neither of them ever acted on it. They traded increasingly intimate touches – supposedly accidental ones – and fell asleep together more than once, but nothing was ever made explicit, nothing was made clear. Regina wasn't sure what was most frustrating: the fact that Red still danced around the issues or the fact that Regina herself couldn't seem to gather enough courage to act.

The end of it all came a warm autumn day, almost two weeks later. Much as the last time, Red came home early, nearly pulling the door off its hinges in her hurry to get inside.

"What's going on?" Regina asked, utterly confused by Red's sudden and very energetic appearance. Then she noticed the paper in Red's hand. "Did you get a reply? From Granny?"

Red nodded eagerly, grinning from ear to ear, looking much like a happy puppy, although Regina would never tell her that. "She says my mother is a no good hooligan and she's definitely not happy that I didn't send any letters until now," she paused and breathed in, "but she says it's good to hear from me and–" she bit her lip, her voice cracking– "and she says she misses me." Red sniffled and then laughed. "I didn't even know if she would reply!"

"That's so good to hear," Regina said, her voice thick with emotion. She had known even when they were little how much Granny meant to Red, despite Granny's grumpy exterior and overprotectiveness. Still, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness thinking about her own parents. Maybe some day she could reach out to her father, but as long as her mother was alive, she simply couldn't risk it.

"Shit," Red mumbled. "I didn't mean to– your family–"

Regina shook her head and wiped away a tear threatening to fall. "It's alright. I'm happy for you, I really am." She met Red's eyes, smiling softly. "Besides, you're my family now, far more so than my parents."

Red stared back with wide eyes as the words hung in the air. It was almost quiet enough that Regina could hear both their heartbeats, pounding in tandem.

Then Red swallowed, licked her lips and leaned in, pressing her lips against Regina in a soft kiss. All thoughts of parents and worries were swept aside, replaced with nothing but Red.

When they pulled apart, Regina let out a pleased sigh. "It was about time," she murmured.

Red giggled softly. "I take it this isn't something we just forget and move past, then?"

"I doubt I could forget about this, even if I wanted to," Regina said before moving in for a second kiss.

"I still have to go back to work," Red muttered. "I don't think kissing the town apothecary is a good enough excuse to skip work."

Regina scoffed, reluctantly pulling away. "Maybe it should be."

"I'll see you at dinner, okay?" Red placed another kiss on Regina's lips, then one on her nose just to giggle at the scowl it elicited. Then she was out the door and gone almost as abruptly as she had showed up.

Taking a few deep breaths, Regina did her best to slow her racing heart. Dinner seemed impossibly far away and she knew she wouldn't be able to focus on any serious work. Instead, she decided to get some errands done in town and if that just so happened to bring her past the smithy, who was she to object?

She made her way to the center of the village at a leisurely pace, enjoying the memory of Red's lips against hers. It still felt unreal, despite the weeks or even months long buildup they'd had. She briefly toyed with the idea of coming up with some bogus excuse to get Red away from work early, but she quickly discarded it. Red had work to do and so had she.

On her way through the marketplace, an odd group of people caught her attention. Not only were they not from the village, they didn't look like townspeople at all. All four women were armed and wearing varying amounts of armor. As soon as they noticed Regina, they headed straight for her.

"Are you Regina?" one of them asked, her hand resting on the pommel of her sword. She wore a strange, foreign kind of armor and moved with the confidence of someone who rarely lost a fight.

"Who are you supposed to be?" Regina replied, refusing to be pushed around by some hired thugs.

"My name is Mulan," the woman introduced herself as. "This is Emma, Dorothy, and Merida. We're here to bring you back to your family."

Regina's stomach lurched at the thought of returning to her mother and the mere suggestion that she was Regina's real family. Regina had meant what she had said to Red earlier; she considered Red to be her real family, not her parents.

"I already am with my family. I'm sorry you came all this way for nothing," she stated calmly and turned to leave.

"Look, lady," Emma said, marching up to Regina. Emma's full plate armor coupled with her height probably worked to intimidate most people, but Regina wasn't impressed. "We get paid to bring you back and that's what were going to do, alright? Whatever the hell you decide to do when we're done is completely up to you, but until we've finished the job, you're coming with us."

"Quiet," Mulan snapped and Emma reluctantly stepped back. "We're not bandits and we're not here to abduct her." She turned to Regina again. "Your mother is worried about you, Regina. She only wants to reunite you with your family."

Regina scoffed. "Don't talk as if you know my mother. The only thing she wants is power and she needs me for that. I'm not going anywhere."

Mulan clenched her jaw but didn't respond. Emma still looked one word away from clubbing Regina over the head with her sword and carrying back. Dorothy mostly seemed bored with the whole thing, while Merida looked like she wanted to be anywhere but there. The tension was practically crackling in the air and Regina carefully readied her magic, flexing her fingers as her palms heated up.

Before anyone could act, however, Red was suddenly standing next to Regina, grabbing her hand and flashing the other women a blinding smile. "I'm sorry, is there a problem here?"

"Red, I don't think—"

Dorothy had her crossbow out and ready in one swift move. "That's the wolf!"

There was a short, baffled silence before Emma drew her sword and Merida scrambled back a few steps, fumbling to ready her bow.

"Stand down!" Mulan barked. "Everyone, stay calm! We are not here to fight anyone." She turned to Emma, then Dorothy. "Is that clear?"

"You're surprisingly armed for someone who's not here to fight," Red said, positioning herself between Regina and Mulan. Then she lowered her voice and added, "That won't stop me from destroying the first person who lays a hand on Regina, though."

"Wait, are you–" Merida looked from Red, to Regina, then back to Red, her eyes growing wider and wider. "You're together, aren't you?" She turned to the others. "Don't you guys see it? They're together. Wasn't she supposed to be abducted?"

Dorothy looked at Red and Regina for a few moments, her frown deepening. "Shit. I knew something was up with that lady." She lowered her crossbow. "So what do we do now?"

Shoving her sword back into its scabbard, Emma huffed. "Well, this was a wasted trip."

"What are you talking about?" Regina exclaimed, her frustrating boiled over.

Mulan cleared her throat and stepped forward, awkwardly shifting her stance a little. "We were told you had been 'lured away' by a werewolf and that we were tasked to..." She cleared her throat again and looked to her companions for support, without much luck. "Liberate you. Obviously, that is not an option."

"Obviously," Merida snorted, then coughed and quickly looked away when Mulan turned to glare at her.

"Yeah, that sounds like your mother, alright," Red muttered, nudging Regina in the side. "How did you find us, though?"

"Word got out about an old lady who had gotten a letter from a long lost granddaughter. We followed the trail from there."

Red's face fell. "Shit."

Regina pulled Red closer, running her thumb over the back of Red's hand. "You couldn't have known this would happen. Don't beat yourself up about it."

"In any case," Mulan interjected, her voice even stiffer than before, "I apologize for the inconvenience." She glanced at Dorothy and Emma. "All of it."

"Apology accepted," Regina replied, more to get this behind her than anything else. "What will you tell my mother?"

"Nothing," Mulan shrugged. "We haven't been paid in advance and we never told Cora about the letter, so there is no reason to tell her anything. And I don't like being lied to."

"Might be a good time for a change of scenery, yeah?" Merida suggested. "Somewhere with less family drama."

Mulan nodded and took a step back. "I'm terribly sorry, ma'am," she said, loudly enough for anyone nearby to hear her clearly. "I'm afraid we have gotten the wrong person. Please accept our apologies and have a nice day." With that, she turned on her heel and marched off, the others following closely behind.

When the four women were out of sight, Regina finally allowed herself to relax.

"Are you alright?" Red asked, her face etched with worry.

Regina nodded tiredly and leaned forward to rest her forehead against Red's. "I will be."


	5. The future

It was a week before the winter solstice and the snow lay thick outside, after half a week of nonstop snowing. Regina spent her days mostly inside, studying some new books she had bought from a book merchant at the autumn fair, while Red was still hammering away at the forge. The frustrating tension between them was all gone, replaced by a comfortable warmth that made Regina realize why people could find newly married couples so utterly annoying at times.

Noises at the door suddenly pulled her out of her half-asleep thoughts. She yawned and put her book aside before making her way to the front door. Opening it, she found Red, still as a wolf, covered in snow. Red panted happily and pushed past Regina, pulling a large amount of snow with her in the process.

"Is there a reason for this?" Regina asked, motioning at the heap of melting snow on the floor when Red had shifted back into human form.

Red shrugged, smiling unrepentantly. "I didn't want to get all snowy shifting outside. Don't worry, I'll clean it up."

"You're lucky you're cute, in and out of your fur," Regina grumbled.

While Red took care of the snow, Regina lingered nearby, trying to hold back another yawn.

"You know you don't have to wait for me every full moon, Regina. I'll be fine," Red told her.

"I know."

Red walked up to her, an eyebrow raised. "Then why do you stay up this late?"

Crossing her arms, Regina looked away and huffed. "Maybe I don't like to fall asleep alone when you're out there." Truth be told, she had gotten so used to falling asleep in Red's arms that she didn't want to sleep alone any night, full moon or not.

Red giggled, grinning widely. "You could have just told me."

Regina harrumphed. "Your hair has gotten longer," she pointed out, running her fingers through it. "I like it."

"Me too," Red murmured, humming in pleasure at the sensation. When Regina pulled her hand away, she leaned in and pressed a kiss to Regina's lips.

"Let's go to bed, shall we?" Regina mumbled when they pulled apart, looking up into Red's eyes.

"Lead the way."

The fell asleep soon thereafter, curled up together under thick blankets as the snow continued to fall outside.

**Author's Note:**

> I am a huge sucker for fluffy sappy stuff. fight me


End file.
